FISHES. 7 



The only Apistes noticed in the Histoire des Poissom, to which this fish bears a resem- 

 blance, is niger ; but it would appear from the description there given, that niger has stronger 

 spines, and the perfectly white ventral surface of lettcogaster would ill accord with the specific 

 name of niger. 



Hab. Sea of China. 



MINOUS ADAMSII, Richardson. 

 Radii.— -B. 7; D. 10,10 vel 11; A. 10 vel 11; C. 10f; P. 11, I.; V. 1|5. 



Plate II. Fig. 4, 5. 



This species agrees neither with the M. woora nor M. monodaeiylus of the Histoire des 

 Poissom in the number of its rays, and it further disagrees with the latter in wanting the 

 three trenchant teeth of the second suborbital". As to the former, we have no specimen 

 wherewith to compare ours ; but Russell's figure, 159 A, has but a very imperfect resemblance 

 to it in the head. We have therefore given it a distinct specific appellation, and, in doing 

 so, embraced the opportunity of paying a tribute to the zeal and ability displayed by 

 Mr. Adams in making the collection of fish on this voyage, and to his artistic skill evinced by 

 the drawings of many which he executed at the time of their capture. The M.pusilhis of 

 the Fauna Japonica is evidently a distinct species. 



The space between the eyes is concave, and is a little broader than the diameter of the 

 orbit. It is traversed by two low acute ridges, which diverge a little as they run backwards. 

 The anterior frontal is also marked by five prominent lines, which spread from an anterior 

 point like the sticks of a fan, and form teeth on the fore edge of the orbit. The rest of the 

 upper margin of the orbit is still more roughly crenated or toothed. A transverse furrow 

 separates the frontals from the conical and ridged bones which lie between the nostrils and 

 cover the maxillary pedicles. Behind the frontals there is another and a larger depression, 

 which is traversed by the very uneven lateral ridges. These ridges have each three triangular, 

 rough points, the terminal one being the largest. The temporal ridges are composed of two 

 rough prominences, immediately behind which is the acute point of the suprascapular, at the 

 commencement of the lateral line. The preorbitar has five short crenulated crests diverging 

 from its centre, one of them running out anteriorly into a short triangular point, which is 

 directed forwards ; behind it springs the slightly curved spine, which reaches back to the 

 middle of the eye. The great suborbital' has a central, thin, crenated crest, from which there 

 radiates one thin crest forwards, a short one obliquely forwards and downwards, two back- 

 wards to the base of the preopercular spine, five short ones to the upper limb of the pre- 

 operculum, and a very low one directly upwards to the orbit. There is also a rugged conical 

 point on this bone below the anterior ridge. All these lines are granulated and crenated, 

 and the cheek of this fish is better protected by bone than in most of the family. The 

 preoperculum has a somewhat concave disk, with both borders unequally prominent. The 



